What will it take for the Hornets to duplicate the Thunder's success of making it to the NBA Finals? 2-on-1 fastbreak

Each week, The Times-Picayune's New Orleans Hornets beat reporters Jimmy Smith and John Reid will take a topic or question and debate or analyze. We encourage and welcome your input on the topic as well.

This week: After drafting Kevin Durant in 2007, it took the Thunder five seasons to make it to the NBA Finals. What will it take for the Hornets to duplicate their success?

SMITH

First off, Hornets fans have to be patient. The Thunder went through some serious growing pains the first couple years in Oklahoma City after relocating from Seattle with Kevin Durant already in the fold. Heed Dell Demps draft-night warnings that this is a rebuild meant for sustained success. It's not going to come quickly. That said, the Hornets seem to be going about things the right way. There are many young pieces in place, and this is based on the assumption that Eric Gordon will be around for the long-term after the Hornets either sign him to a long-term extension, or match any offer Gordon solicits on the open market in the coming days. Aside from patience, the Hornets will need two other things: health and luck. The Thunder remained relatively healthy as they climbed the ladder of success, and they also lucked into some players, such as Kendrick Perkins. Perhaps the luck part is already on New Orleans' side, winning the lottery, as well as getting the Washington Wizards to take two vets with bad contracts - Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza - off the Hornets' hands, plus give them a second-round pick for what turned out to be a savings of nearly $9 million.

REID

The Hornets will need everything to click as rapidly as it did for the Oklahoma City Thunder, which drafted Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka in 2008 draft and they emerged quickly playing alongside Kevin Durant. Anthony Davis has the potential to develop into a franchise-changing player like Durant and guard Austin Rivers, who the Hornets selected with the No. 10 overall pick in last week's draft, has the potential to excel like Westbrook. New Orleans will need more two more exceptional drafts to build around young talent. Also, they need players that are committed to playing in New Orleans and not elsewhere. There has to be patience to allow Coach Monty Williams to develop the young talent and General Manager Dell Demps must find the right pieces that must also include some veterans. The building blocks are already in place, but it also will take some luck to make it to the finals in five years as the Thunder achieved this season.